Traditionally, users have shared digital content (e.g., a document, a digital audio file, a digital video file, a digital image file, or other digital information) with each other by hand carrying or otherwise transporting portable physical media such as floppy disks between computers. In recent years, however, data networks that interconnect computers allow users to send digital content to each other over the networks without having to transport physical media. For example, one user can send a file to another user as an attachment to an e-mail message.
Today, in addition to traditional methods, users share digital content by making it available for download from servers. For example, a user may upload digital content to a server. Another user may download the digital content from the server. As will be known, providers of such services include the likes of Dropbox, Box, SkyDrive, Drive, etc.
Unfortunately, this new approach has some disadvantages. For example, one of the main concerns is the security of the content. Reports about online fraud are increasingly in the news. If the content is valuable, any breach of security could be costly for the user.
Given the unparalleled growth in fraudulent activity, there is therefore a need for solutions for sharing digital content between users while also ensuring the security of the content. The present invention fulfils this and other needs.